Package wrapper



June 2, 1964 J. H. SHERRILL PACKAGE WRAPPER Filed Jan. 19, 1962 IN VEN TOR. fzsf x/ /7 J/mee/u RM 5. AM

A 7 TOR/ME) United States Patent 3,135,459 PACKAGE WRAPPER Joseph H. Sheri-ill, Cologne, Germany, assignor to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 168,580 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-87) This invention relates to a package construction and to a Wrapper for enclosing the contents of a package. The invention especially relates to a package containing cigarettes or the like and to a wrapper therefor, and more particularly to a cigarette package in which the contents is enclosed in a wrapper which comprises at least one layer or sheet of metal foil.

In order to afford requisite protection against damage and to provide an enclosure for the contents which will avoid or reduce deterioration due to atmospheric change, packages for materials or articles, such as cigarettes and the like, heretofore have been utilized in which a container provides a mechanical structure capable of resisting substantial forces which would cause breakage or other damage. The container, in the form of a carton or in the form of a wrapper which is wrapped about the contents of the package, conventionally has been made of cardboard or the like or of a fibrous web such as paper. When a wrapper has been used it usually has been made of a plurality of layers or sheets in laminated or face to face relation. Ordinarily at least one of these sheets is a composite sheet consisting of a fibrous layer or sheet and a layer or sheet of metal foil which are laminated together by a suitable process so that they adhere to each other in face to face relation over the full extent of the area thereof, the metal foil serving as a seal to prevent the passage of air through the composite sheet which would effect change in the atmospheric condition within the package and thus dry out the contents or, on the other hand, introduce an undesired degree of moisture which would make the contents less desirable to the user. In packages utilizing such a wrapper an additional wrap, outwardly disposed with respect to the composite metal foil and fibrous sheet, ordinarily is utilized which carries the label, the decoration and the printed matter.

It has been thought desirable, in order to provide a package having a bright appearance, to utilize for the exterior wrap a sheet having a metallic exterior surface which may be provided, for example, by a metal foil laminated upon a fibrous sheet. While the bright appearance thus may be secured, it has been found that the package formed merely by using such a wrap of an outer foil and an inner fibrous sheet easily may become dented, leaving a marred or disfigured surface on the exposed metal foil of the package which is detrimental as to salability. This failure of the laminated foil and fibrous sheet to resist denting and to rebound to its original form when pressed at the outside is complemented by the characteristic of the composite sheet which causes the development of permanent ridges and depressions of slight depth in the exterior of a package of cigarettes, these ridges and depressions being coincident with the cigarettes therewithin, and this condition also is detrimental to the desirable appearance of the package and its salability.

In order to meet these objections while securing the advantage of an exterior metallic surface upon which to apply printing and decoration, in accordance with the invention, a liner is provided within a wrapper which is in the form of a composite sheet of foil and fibrous material. This liner is disposed adjacent and in face to face relation to the face of the fibrous layer or lamination of the composite sheet which is at the opposite side of this composite sheet from the exterior face of the foil. It is a feature of the invention that this liner is not securely ice held to the fibrous layer over the whole or a substantial part of the adjacent faces of these two sheets. The liner, however, preferably is secured to the fibrous layer of the composite foil and fibrous sheet along a restricted portion of the liner which extends about the package but a substantial portion of the liner extending from such secured restricted portion is left free from being securely held to the adjacent face of the fibrous layer of the composite sheet. Preferably a rather narrow portion of the liner along an edge thereof is thus secured to the fibrous layer of the composite sheet and it is found that the liner, without further securing means, having regard to the folding of the wrapper about the contents of the package, will remain in place and particularly will provide the desired resilient support for the composite sheet which will resist or prevent indentation or depression thereof and will substantially eliminate the ridges which, as above mentioned, have developed heretofore in a metal foil wrapped package.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, in a package of this type which includes a liner secured as above mentioned, and especially for packages containing cigarettes, the liner is disposed with an edge portion thereof inwardly spaced from and substantially parallel to the common edge of the composite sheet of metal foil and fibrous material which constitutes the outside Wrap, the liner being joined to the fibrous layer upon a rather narrow strip extending along this inwardly spaced edge of the liner. By thus disposing the edge of the liner inwardly from the edge of the wrapper and joining this edge of the liner to the fibrous layer by suitable means, when the package is opened, usually by tearing the portion of the Wrapper covering the adjacent end of the package, access to the contents easily is secured. In opening a package of cigarettes, for example, it is the usual practice to make an opening in the wrapper at the end of the package and to insert the finger to spread the wrap at this end for removal of a cigarette. By thus disposing the edge of the liner and joining it to the fibrous sheet as described, there is no free or loose edge portion of the liner which interferes with the insertion and the action of the finger or with the withdrawal of the cigarette. Preferably the edge portion of the liner and the means for securing this edge portion to the fibrous layer of the composite sheet are disposed adjacent the adjacent end of the contents of the package, that is, adjacent the end of the bundle of cigarettes in a cigarette pack. Interference with the insertion of the finger is annoying and may lead to damage of the cigarettes. The folding back again into position of the several sheets if loosely associated at this end of the packageis difficult vor inconvenient. These difficulties are avoided in the invention by the provision of the liner with its edge and the securing means disposed as described.

The extent of the liner from this joined edge portion along the package transversely of this edge portion of the liner, that is, transversely to the adjacent common edge of the composite metal foil and fibrous layer, may be varied while providing the desired support for the composite sheet to resist or prevent indentation or depressions. In some cases the liner may extend from its inwardly spaced edge fully to the opposite edge of the composite sheet and may be folded over the opposite end of the contents together with the exterior composite sheet. The portion of the composite sheet which is disposed between the inwardly spaced joined edge portion of the liner and the adjacent common edge of the composite sheet is folded upon the adjacent end of the contents of the package to close the package. In some cases, however, the liner may extend from its inwardly spaced edge lengthwise of the package only to the opposite end of the contents, that is, only over the length of the cigarettes in a package of cigarettes. In order to avoid the difficulty of interference with insertion of the finger and with withdrawal of a cigarette in the manner above referred to at this opposite end of the package, in case the package is opened at this opposite end thereof, preferably the liner also is joined along this opposite edge thereof to the fibrous layer of the composite sheet in the same manner as described with respect to the first edge portion of the liner. The portion of the liner between these two joined portions thereof, however, is left without being secured to the fibrous layer in order that the function of resisting or avoiding the indentation and the forming of ridges may be secured by virtue of the freedom of the liner to move.

In preparing the package the liner may be folded and wrapped about the contents, for example, a bundle of cigarettes, by utilizing conventional means to form what hereinafter will be referred to as an inner pack. The composite sheet of metal foil and fibrous layer then may be wrapped about the inner pack. The means for joining the edge portion of the liner to the composite sheet may be provided by applying a strip of adhesive of suitable character either to the liner along its edge or to the part of the fibrous layer of the composite sheet upon which the edge portion of the liner will bear. Within the scope of the invention any suitable means for effecting the joining of the edge portion of the liner to the fibrous layer of the composite sheet may be utilized, including a soluble adhesive or glue, a hot melt adhesive, or one having an inherent adhesive character, as well as mechanical means such as creasing or other expedients for securing the liner and the layer together.

If desired, the package of the invention may be further enclosed in a wrapping of transparent material, such as a plastic sheet material, as heretofore used. Having regard to the improved appearance of the package and the mechanical features of resistance to indentation and the requisite provision of a sealing wrapper which is secured by the composite sheet of foil and fibrous material with the surface of the foil exposed, the additional wrapping of transparent plastic material may be omitted.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be understood more clearly from the description of the drawings to follow in which:

FIG. 1 shows the inner pack formed by the liner;

FIG. 2 shows the inner pack partially wrapped by the composite sheet of metal foil and fibrous layer;

FIG. 3 shows the inner pack completely wrapped in the composite sheet, except for closing the package at one end thereof;

FIG. 4 shows the end of the completed package;

FIG. 5 shows in section the composite foil and fibrous sheet;

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the inner pack partially wrapped in the liner;

FIG. 7 shows diagrammatically a device for applying adhesive along the edge portion of the liner.

In FIG. 1 the inner pack 1 is formed by wrapping the liner 13 about the contents of the package. This may be accomplished in a conventional manner by wrapping a continuous sheet 3, as shown in FIG. 7, about a hollow mandrel 5 in which the cigarettes may be disposed. Conventional means, not shown, also may be utilized for completely folding the sheet 3 and securing an end portion thereof in lapping relation upon the opposite end portion 8 of the sheet as well as folding the portions 9 and 11 over upon the end of the package. The liner 13 thus formed may be cut from the sheet 3 by a cutter 15, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7, for cutting the sheet 3 transversely thereof to the proper length to extend about the mandrel 5 with the portion 7 of the liner lapping upon the opposite end portion 8 of the liner.

The inner pack, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided along the edge 17 thereof with a strip 19 of adhesive which may be applied by any suitable means. In FIG. 7 is shown diagrammatically a container 21 for containing adhesive of suitable type, a roll 23 being supported for rotation on a shaft 25 with the periphery of the roll dipping in the adhesive in the container 21 and, as it rotates, tangentially meeting the edge portion of the sheet 3 which is drawn by a roller 27 over which the sheet 3 passes to deliver the sheet downwardly in FIG. 7 to the mandrel 5. The roll 23 is provided with a notch 29 for omitting the application of the adhesive for a short space along the edge of the sheet 3 in order that the cutter 15 may make a cut across the sheet without cutting through the adhesive, thus to avoid difficulties of gumming and the like. The apparatus for applying the adhesive shown in FIG. 7 may be provided by any of the well known devices for feeding, cutting and folding continuous sheets of material for the purpose of wrapping a package of cigarettes or the like.

It will be noted that the adhesive is applied to that face of the sheet 3 which becomes outwardly disposed as the sheet is wrapped about the mandrel 5, so that the strip of adhesive 19, FIG. 1, is disposed at the outer face of the inner pack and along the end of this pack which is open, the opposite end in the embodiment of FIG. 1 being closed by folding the portions 9 and 11 of the liner upon this end as shown.

For the purposes of the invention an exterior wrap 31 is utilized which is in the form of a laminated sheet composed of a layer of metal foil 33, FIGS. 2 and 5, and a fibrous layer 35 which may be a layer of paper. By well known processes, preferably these two layers of material are laminated together so that the fibers of the fibrous layer intimately cling to the surface of the metal foil and this layer adheres to the metal layer over the whole surface thereof. This composite sheet may be made so that the foil and paper layer adhere tenaciously together and so that the metal foil over the common area of the two layers substantially provides a hermetic seal against the passage of air and moisture through the composite sheet.

The composite sheet 31 of metal foil 33 and fibrous layer 35, FIG. 2, may be prepared so as to have a length sufiicient to extend about the inner pack and to have its edge portion 37 lapped upon and, if desired, suitably fastened to the opposite edge portion 39 of the composite sheet, as shown in FIG. 3. The composite sheet 31 has sufficient width, vertical in FIGS. 2 and 3, so as to have its upper edge portion in FIG. 2 extend beyond the upper edge 17 of the liner 13 to the common edge of the foil 33 and fibrous layer 35 and also to extend downwardly beyond the lower end of the inner pack to the opposite common edge of the foil 33 and fibrous layer 35, in order that these edge portions of the composite sheet 31 may be folded upon the ends of the inner pack completely to close the package. The upper end of the package 41 is shown closed in FIG. 4 with the upper edge portions 43, 45 of the composite sheet 31 folded in a conventional manner upon this end, the usual seal 47 being secured over this end.

As shown in FIG. 2 in the operation of wrapping the composite sheet 31 about the inner pack 1, the adhesive strip 19 which is exposed on the outer surface of the liner 13 of the inner pack will come into contact with the paper or fibrous layer 35 and will adhesively secure the edge portion of the liner to this fibrous layer. When the inner pack 1 is formed as in FIG. 1 with the portions 9 and 11 folded on the opposite end of the pack, the folding of the composite sheet 31 upon the inner pack at this opposite end will hold the liner in proper relation to the contents, the package being then completed to the extent shown in FIG. 3. Upon further folding of the upper edge portions 43, 45 of the composite sheet, the complete package shown in FIG. 4 is produced. 7

In this package, although no portion of the liner 13 is folded over the upper ends of the cigarettes or other contents of the inner pack, the composite sheet which, by virtue of the metal foil is impervious, does cover both ends of the inner pack and affords as well mechanical protection for the contents. The inner liner 13, however, in its face to face relation to the paper or fibrous layer 35 of the composite sheet 31 but free therefrom except at the end of the liner provides with this composite sheet a resilience in the wall of the package which it has been found avoids or limits indentation at the exterior metal foil surface and substantially avoids ridging caused in conventional packages by the contact of the cigarettes with the composite sheet. The liner has the effect of a resilient cushion free to move between the cigarettes and the composite sheet and which cooperates with the composite sheet to avoid the undesired marred appearance of the package.

' Because the inner liner 13 is adhcsively secured at the strip 19 to the paper layer 35 along the edge 17 of the liner, when, as is the custom with some users, a small opening is made in the package by tearing the end parts of the folded portions 43, 45, FIG. 4, one or two cigarettes may be withdrawn at a time in the usual manner. Other users, however, may prefer to cut the seal 47 and the portions 43, 45 may be lifted to unwrap the package at this end. In such cases these portions may be folded back again upon the package to close it against free movement of the air into and out of the package. In either case the liner adheres only at the strip 19 and does not interfere with the manipulation of the upper end portion of the composite sheet nor with the insertion of the finger or the withdrawal of the cigarettes.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 the liner 13 of the inner pack 1 is provided with an additional strip of adhesive 51 along the lower edge 53 of the liner opposite to the edge 17 which carries the strip of adhesive 19. In this embodiment the liner 13 is not provided with portions 9 and 11 as in FIG. 1 which are folded upon the adjacent end of the contents, the closing of both ends of the package being accomplished by the folding of the projecting portions of the composite sheet 31 at both ends of the package in the manner shown for the portions 43, 45 in FIG. 4. The adhesive strip 51 secures only the lower edge portion 53 of the liner to the paper layer 35. In this embodiment it will be understood that, if desired, the package may be opened at either end and the cigarettes may be withdrawn at either end in the manner above mentioned without interference by the liner projecting beyond either end of the bundle of cigarettes.

Both in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and in that of FIG. 6 it will be understood that the portion 55 of the liner 13 which is inwardly disposed with respect to the edge or edges thereof along which the adhesive is carried is free of adhesive engagement with the fibrous or paper layer 35 of the composite sheet of metal foil and fibrous layer. It is found in a cigarette package, when this liner, as a fibrous or a paper element of proper specifications as hereinafter more specifically disclosed, is thus left free of bond to the fibrous or paper layer of the composite sheet, that the effect of ridging corresponding to the contours of the cigarettes within the package may be prevented, it being a significant feature that the liner is free to move relative to the composite sheet transversely thereof. If the liner becomes formed or convoluted by the cigarettes or otherwise is displaced, it does not transfer the ridging to the composite sheet. Moreover, it cushions the composite sheet against indentation at the exterior face thereof because the two cooperating elements, namely the composite sheet and the liner, afford a greater resilience.

To accomplish the purposes of the invention in a cigarette package, the metal foil, ordinarily of aluminum, may have a thickness generally in the range between .00025 inch and .00045 inch. The fibrous layer laminated in face to face relation and adhering to the metal foil may be of bond paper generally in the range of 30 to 65 pounds weight per ream, each ream consisting of 500 sheets of the dimension 24 inches by 36 inches.

The liner of the package of the invention also may be made of a bond paper generally in this 30-65 pound range. The fibrous layer and the liner of the bond paper of this weight each may have a thickness in the range between .0025 inch and .0065 inch and the composite foil and fibrous sheet may have a thickness generally in the range between .00275 inch and .00695 inch.

The following table gives a preferred range of thickness, stiffness in the direction of the machine feed and crosswise of the machine feed, as well as the fold resistance of the several layers or sheets:

As a specific example, the following data is given for the materials suitable for a cigarette package provided with the liner of the invention as formed and described:

Foil; .00025 inch. Laminating stock 41 lb. bond paper. Liner 41 lb. bond paper.

This combination has the following average characteristics:

Fold Resistance Thick- Stiffness, Crosswise Material ness Machine Direction Direction Machine Crosswise Direction Direction Foil-paper laminate .0036 2. 4 1.6 7 14 Liner .0032 9 0. 4 5 10 The stiifness data given in these tables is that which is determined by a well known method of test utilizing a Taber stiffness tester, Model -B, in which a 10-unit compensator weight is utilized and the rollers are in the up position, the test sample being 1 /2 inch square. With such a tester and sample the data, in arbitrary units recognized by those skilled in the paper testing art, are determined concomitantly with a deflection or bending of the test sample.

The fold resistance is determined by supporting a strip of the sheet material /2 inch wide in a vise so that the strip hangs vertically downward with a kilogram weight attached at the lower end thereof. This strip, by suitable means, then is folded with respect to the portion gripped in the vise through an angle of 90 and then through a number of movements back and forth with respect to the gripping edge of the vise until breaking of the strip occurs. The number of such 180 movements is the fold resistance as set out in the tables.

Within the scope of the invention variations may be made in the form and composition of the liner and of the composite sheet of the wrapper of the invention to suit different conditions and for different contents of the package. The thicknesses of the foil and of the fibrous or paper layer and of the liner may be varied to suit different sizes of package and different kinds of material to be enclosed in the wrapper. By choice of suitable thicknesses for one or more of these layers, a cigarette package can be made to have the feel of a conventional pouch package. In such cigarette packages the thicknesses of these layers and of the foil may be varied within the ranges given above to secure the unique feature of avoiding ridging while providing a package which otherwise is normal in appearance, feel and function.

Different methods may be used for sealing the ends of the package to secure the desired degree of imperviousness. The entire package may be wrapped further in a cellophane or plastic or other exterior wrapper which ordinarily will be transparent. In some cases also an additional strip of adhesive 57 similar to the strip 19 may be applied to the exterior of the liner 13 in FIG. 1 at the end of the pack at which the portions 9 and 11 of the liner are folded upon the end of the pack. All such variations and others may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 819,975, filed June 12, 1959, and now abandoned.

I claim:

1. A package of cigarettes or the like, comprising:

(a) an outer wrapper folded about the contents of the package to provide:

(1) lateral walls extending lengthwise of the contents; and

(2) end walls disposed transversely of the lateral Walls, at least one of said end walls being openable;

(3) said lateral walls and end walls cooperating at their intersections to form transverse edges of the package;

(11) said wrapper comprising an exterior layer of metal foil and an interior layer of thin, flexible fibrous material adhesively secured to the exterior layer over the whole of the opposed surfaces of the two layers;

(0) a liner at the inner surface of the interior layer,

said liner comprising fibrous sheet material of substantially the thickness of the interior layer, said liner being flexible in any direction;

(d) said liner having one of its edges extending adjacent and along the transverse edges of the package at an openable end thereof and extending from said one edge along the lateral walls of the package and at least substantially to the transverse edges at the opposite end of the package; and

(e) means adhesively joining the liner to the interior layer along marginal portions of the liner adjacent the transverse edges at both ends of the package, leaving the portions of the liner between said marginal portions unjoined to the interior layer, said unjoined portions of the liner being free to flex in any direction between the interior layer and the contents to support and cushion said Wrapper against external indentation and against ridging conforming to said contents.

2. A package of cigarettes or the like, comprising:

(a) an outer wrapper folded about the contents of the package to provide:

(1) lateral walls extending lengthwise of the contents; and

(2) end walls disposed transversely of the lateral Walls, at least one of said end walls being openable;

(3) said lateral walls and end walls cooperating at their intersections to form transverse edges of the package;

' (b) said wrapper comprising an exterior layer of metal foil and an interior layer of thin, flexible fibrous material adhesively secured to the exterior layer over the whole of the opposed surfaces of the two layers;

(c) a liner at the inner surface of the interior layer,

said liner comprising fibrous sheet material of substantially the thickness of the interior layer, said liner being flexible in any direction;

([1) said liner having one of its edges extending adjacent and along the transverse edges of the package at an openable end thereof and extending from said one edge along the lateral walls of the package and at least substantially to the transverse edges at the opposite end of the package; and

(e) means adhesively joining the liner to the interior layer only along a marginal portion of the liner adjacent the transverse edges at said openable end of the package, leaving the other portions of the liner unjoined to the interior layer, said unjoined portions of the liner being free to flex in any direction between the interior layer and the contents to support and cushion said wrapper against external indentation and against ridging conforming to said contents.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A PACKAGE OF CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING: (A) AN OUTER WRAPPER FOLDED ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE TO PROVIDE: (1) LATERAL WALLS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE CONTENTS; AND (2) END WALLS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE LATERAL WALLS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID END WALLS BEING OPENABLE; (3) SAID LATERAL WALLS AND END WALLS COOPERATING AT THEIR INTERSECTIONS TO FORM TRANSVERSE EDGES OF THE PACKAGE; (B) SAID WRAPPER COMPRISING AN EXTERIOR LAYER OF METAL FOIL AND AN INTERIOR LAYER OF THIN, FLEXIBLE FIBROUS MATERIAL ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE EXTERIOR LAYER OVER THE WHOLE OF THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF THE TWO LAYERS; (C) A LINER AT THE INNER SURFACE OF THE INTERIOR LAYER, SAID LINER COMPRISING FIBROUS SHEET MATERIAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE THICKNESS OF THE INTERIOR LAYER, SAID LINER BEING FLEXIBLE IN ANY DIRECTION; 